My weekend

wow, so you did a MR instead of watching the superbowl, that's what i call a true mileage runer. BTW, can i ask how long ago you booked this MR, i was trying to book a MR for this past weekend out of SEA about 2 weeks ago, but there was almost nothing good showing up.

have you email to UA C/R for delayed due to mechanical?

I think because of your BMI got your access to SQ lounge,otherwise if you show up with your RCC or 1K card they'll direct you to RCC next door.

MR or not, traveling anywhere when you are sick B-L-O-W-S. Thanks for writing up the TR.

sam, I booked this mileage run a little over a month ago, when inventory was still wide open. You're correct re: BMI Gold.

First, you're correct re: being an RCC memebr or US/UA Star Gold, as I wouldn't have had access. More to come about a note to CR shortly.

I love the FA who quoted 9/11! They should allow United FAs to be able to use that for everything.

Me: "Can I have a whole can of soda?"
Ted FA: "Sorry ... 9/11."

I was your flight dispatcher for the ORD-TPA flight, I was also surprised to see the 767 on my worksheet, then I remembered the Super Bowl and the traffic in the morning. We were sending down a few 757s and the 767 you were on. TPA had many taxiways and runway 9/27 closed at the time. I briefed the midnight crew to add extra taxi out fuel in the morning due to the likely spike in demand for departures before noon.
Personally, I like the extra treatment I get as a non-rev. Remember the phrase "take care of your own", and we do that.

I have mixed feelings about preferential treatment for non-revs. On one hand, I agree with Matt's comment on "take care of your own", to the extent where it did not impact the basic quality of service. However, I've also seen where the FA hid the galley for most of the flight chatting with their deadheading friends and ignoring passenger requests, which to me crosses the line.

ROFL laughing, uniter! Too funny (and sad, because it almost wouldn't surprise me).

Matt, thanks for taking the time to post, I appreciate it. It's great to get posts from all aspects of operations, and dispatch is one I don't hear from too often, although it's also one of the most important ones. I hope you stick around to share more thoughts in the future.

Did you at least get a Y COS bonus for ORD-TPA after the mis-connect? Gotta look for the slightly silver lining.....

That I did. I guess you're right, 500 bonus EQM's are better than nothing.

They didn't discover the broken seatbelt until they got to the runway? Are pilots not wearing seat belts when the seatbelt sign is illuminated?

Sorry Oliver, I didn't explain that well. Apparently only the "harness" part of the seatbelt was broken, which is apparently only put on as the pilots get ready for takeoff.

Great report. I find whenever I fly with a cold, asking for a cup/bottle whatever of water right when I board has always been super sympathetically received. I realize you asked in large part to test the system so to speak, but if you ask in a "i'm a poor guy feeling a little under the weather any chance you can make my day?" way, even power trippers can enjoy aiding you.

I agree that's the best approach, and in this case that's what I did. As boarding was finishing up I asked the FA for a bottle of water, when I saw she wasn't busy. Honest, I wasn't even trying to test the system, it was legitimately because I was thirsty and sick. Oh well.

The whole bottle of water in business class is ridiculous on United. Not only on some flights, such as HKG-SFO you can't bring water from the airport on the plane, but you are entirely at the flight attendants leisure in getting water. How cheap can UA be in a premium business class? They literally must do the following math.
20 oz Bottle of Water: $0.24
Flight Attendant Pouring Water: 4 6 oz servings (4*.04=$.16) + Galss cleaning ($0.07)= ($0.23)
Then Glenn calls the water department and says, let's just go with the big bottle of water refilled from the tap and we can save another $0.02 per passenger. So, it only costs United $0.21 cents then to serve a Business Class passenger water.

This reminds me of a HKG-SFO flight in C 2 weeks ago. Over the course of the flight I got a grand total of 2 glasses of crap sparkling wine and what would have been 3 glasses of water if I didn't go to the galley, where 2 flight attendants were sitting on the stairs to the lower deck chatting. "o sorry to inconvenience you chatty cathy, but could you get off your A$$ and do something clost to your job, or would you just like to sit in my Business Class seat and watch a movie lazy bum?"

Your observation on the UA widebody heading for GSO for a refit might be on the mark. Flying back into GSO late Sunday evening I noted a UA 767 at TIMCO. I don't recall seeing it there late Friday afternoon when I departed. Alternatively, the bird could be there for just routine maintaince.

fwiw, i once sat next to a UA FA in F (ORD-LGA) who iirc, explained that a F seat is required to be given to all FAs who are returning from a training session. She was not in uniform so i don't know if this applies to your non-rev.

sorry you were sick and had to endure indifferent service. feel better soon